The Understanding
by Lynxia
Summary: The Maximal Stingrix risks her life to try and understand the behaviour of the dangerous Protoform X, also known as the Predacon Rampage. Unfortunatly, things do not end well for her...


**Transformers  
****Beast Wars  
**The Understanding

"_Did you love him?"  
__She only smiled…_

"Let me out…"  
A faint whisper escapes from the darkness towards a shadow so high that it can not be reached. The shadow shakes his head and tosses a device down into the dark prison, towards the one who is stuck in there.  
"I will not."  
The fembot who curled herself up in the darkest corner of her prison watches the device hit the ground, sees it bounce twice and then rolling towards her. It looks as some form of battery or re-charger. She almost closes her optics and holds herself tighter.  
"At least give me something… Something to do or just to talk to…"  
"I won't."  
"Slag it, Depthcharge!" the fembot suddenly leaps up and runs for the opening in the ceiling of the cave, her prison. She looks up towards the shadow that is responsible for all this misery and clenches her fists," you can't do this to me! You can't keep me in here forever!"  
"Wanna bet?"  
She grits her teeth and shakes wild with her head in frustration. She lost count of the days she spend in this hole, she can't fly, she can't climb up towards the opening, because the walls are to smooth and she has no weapons to blast herself a way out, because Depthcharge dismantled many things from her body to prevent her from escaping.  
"They will find me here, Depthcharge", she points up towards him and if looks could kill, he would have fallen down offline," and then you are in for it!"  
"They won't."  
"What…?"  
"They won't find you here, Stingrix. I told them you are gone, so nobody will look for you."  
Stingrix gets the feeling the earth falls away from under her feet and she feels her knees start to shake: "You… You did what? You told them... that I... am destroyed?!"  
"Smart thinking, kid."  
"Blast you to scrap, Depthcharge! How could you?!"  
"Once Protoform X is destroyed, I will let you go. But until then you are staying right here. I don't want to be responsible for your destruction."  
"That's really you, Depthcharge! Cool on the outside and soft in the inside! You worry too much about me and that starts to piss me off! Let me out off here!"  
"No. You messed this up for yourself and big time. I don't need distraction from my mission to destroy Protoform X and you are just standing in the way."  
"What happened on Omicron is not my fault, Depthcharge! I grief about it even though it has been more then five years ago! I loved Omicron too and yes, we had friends and family there that he all destroyed, but did you never hear of forgiveness?"  
Depthcharge starts to lose his patience with the goodness and fake innocent of his younger sibling and points down towards her, saying with a voice that if filled with disgust and mock:" Listen, kid! Forgiveness is something that X doesn't know in his dictionary and neither in mine. He only knows the words destruction and pain. Why in the Matrix's Name doesn't that get through your system? He is dangerous! He is on the loose and I am on this doomed planet to capture him and to make him pay!"  
Stingrix remains silent, feeling desperate and helpless. She understands his actions, but doesn't want to be locked up with everyone thinking she is dead. Nobody can track her down, because Depthcharge was smart enough to dismantle her communicator, coordinator and tracking device when she was in stasis lock after being attacked by Protoform X. Also the cave is surrounded by a shield that holds Energon radiation away from her, so she won't have to change into her beastmode all the time.  
"Just give him a chance…" she says calm and looks back up to the opening, seeing that her older sibling is gone. She blinks with her optics against the bright light and then sets a few steps back to see if he really is gone without saying a word. He really left.  
She grits her teeth again and screams towards the opening:" Get back here, Depthcharge! You don't have the right to do this to me! I can take care of myself!"  
No response.  
"Depthcharge!!"  
She backs away from the light and holds her head, slowly returning into the darkness. Why is he doing this to her? Why in a way like this? Everybody thinks she is gone and nobody will be looking for her anymore. She will be stuck here for who knows how long. This vendetta between Depthcharge and X can take ages and she will be here… for ever.  
She turns around and lets herself fall against the wall with a scream of frustration. Robots can not cry, but if they could… Stingrix would cry right now with her nails scratching over the stone wall and her head resting against it.  
"I hate him!"  
She punches against the wall with her optics firmly closed. She trembles over her whole cyborg body, her long tail swaying from side to side because of the stress. She punches again, repeating how much she hates her older sibling. She punches one more time, before she slumps down to the ground and lets her body rest against the wall, still trembling off all the anger.  
"I hate him so much…"  
"I do too…"  
Stingrix quickly tilts her head away from the wall and looks shocked. There was another voice who… agreed with her. But where did it come from?  
"Who's there?"  
She looks around, her optics adjusting to the darkness around her trying to see if there is someone else in her prison.  
"The pain… It feels so satisfacting. I know how you feel, little one. I feel it too."  
She recognizes the voice and lowers her head. Because of him she is stuck here and Depthcharge is the one who want to hunt him down.  
"Rampage…"  
A soft chuckle and the deep dark, but warm voice continues: "Yes, we both know who is causing this pain, don't we?"  
Should she answer him? If she does, she will betray her very own brother who locked her up here. But then this Predacon is right. Depthcharge is the one responsible for the pain she is feeling in her Spark. The both of them are in the same situation.  
"Yes…"  
"He can be so cold sometimes that it makes me shiver of delight," soft laughter can be heard," we are the same, you and I. We both suffer because of the hunter."  
Stingrix listens to Rampage's voice as she lays there against the wall and has to agree with him. It might be dangerous, but she really agrees with what he is saying. His voice has a hypnotising effect on her. Like before she wants to understand him, to help him, to understand why he is in so much pain. Why he wants so much pain to feed from it.  
"Yes, I can sense your pain, little one. I can help you to get rid of it and I mean that with success."  
"Help me?" she sits up and looks around," how can you help me?"  
"Just step away from the wall, my precious and I will show you."  
Quickly she gets on her feet and backs away from the wall she was leaning against. Her optics are opened wide, wondering what Rampage will do to help her. She gets an answer to her wondering in a nano click, when the earth under her feet starts to tremble and is followed by a huge blast which sends part of rocks and clouds of dusts towards her. She cringes a bit and waves with her arms to clear the view of the dust and opens her optics to see what happened as the earth keeps trembling. A new opening reveals itself when the dust clears up and slowly Rampage rides into the cave in his tank mode, a huge monstrous vehicle with the huge gun with three barrels mounted on the front and aiming towards her.  
She stays where she is, standing her ground as she stares towards the huge weapon. It's best not to show fear for it, because that will only heighten the risk of her getting shot.  
Rampage transforms into his robot mode and looks towards Stingrix:" Ah, you look so much like him. But still you two are so different. Come now…" he holds out his red hand towards her," its time to get rid of the pain that has been feeding on you in this darkness."  
Stingrix hesitates for a moment. Of course this Predacon also known as Protoform X can not be trusted, but he seems to want to help her out off this cage and it would be a shame to let that pass. She doesn't want to stay here any longer.  
Slowly she walks towards him as she looks up to the giant red and purple hulk and doesn't say a word. She must be careful around him, but he has something that makes her admire him.  
"That's the spirit, my precious. Now…" he starts to walk and holds an arm behind her to slightly force her to walk along with him," it is time to help you to get rid of the pain. As I promised."  
They both walk through the opening the Predacon made and step into the light of freedom. Stingrix couldn't help to smile for a moment when she realises she is finally out off there and will never return to that prison. But the smile fades when she thinks about the pact that was made between her and the Predacon. Of course he wants something in return for his help. But then…  
She remembers the last time she tried to help him; he attacked her and was able to damage her so badly that she fell into stasis lock. Depthcharge arrived in the nick of time to chase Rampage away so she could be saved.  
"How will you help me..?" she asks carefully, hoping she won't make him angry and tries to look innocent and with no suspicion.  
Rampage shakes his head and says:" You will find out soon enough. And when you do, you will be so thankful that you will forget the things I ever did to all those others I helped in my very own way."  
She knows what he means with his last words. He has destroyed so many Cybertronians and colonies that he started to change the details a bit for his own mental condition.  
"When I saw you at the Maximal High Council when the Hunter brought me there to be in trial, I knew something like this would happen to you. You two just don't fit together."  
"I know… He is just too concerned…"  
She shouldn't talk about her feelings towards her older sibling. Rampage knows how to make use of her weak spots; she noticed that from last time. But right now she needs someone who understands her and if that is Rampage then so be it.  
At the end of a mountain trail, which they walked in silence, Rampage suddenly stretches his arm to stop Stingrix.  
"Now… All we have to do is wait."  
Without walking into Rampage's arm Stingrix looks around, asking: "Wait…? For what?"  
They are high above the ground, high in the sky, but still safe on the cliff.  
She worries for a moment. What if she gets in danger? There are only two ways from this high spot and that is the mountain path or else the edge of the cliff; and it is a long way down.  
"For the solution to stop the pain, my dear," Rampage says with a calm tone in his deep voice and stands on the cliff to look around. Stingrix can already guess he is not looking around to enjoy the view. He is looking for something. Slowly and slightly unsure she walks up besides him and looks up towards his face.  
"And what is the solution?"  
"You are a curious one, aren't you? Just be patient, my precious. It won't take long…" he chuckles in a mischievous way and keeps staring down the cliff to the jungle way down there," ah, aren't we a perfect team? Both suffering because him and now both trying to find a way to stop the hunger for pain."  
Stingrix nods slightly. She knows Rampage is obsessed by pain, but now hearing him talk about it in this way makes her even more curious about why he is so obsessed by it. Ever since he was created he has been out to destroy and to feed on fear from others. And his hunger was never pleased. What drove him to become like this? A haunted bot whose mental condition that is as worse as his obsession for the darn pain she is feeling now also.  
Yes, she was there when the Maximal High Council decided to put him in a stasis pod instead of trying to find a way to destroy his Spark. She felt sorry for him. She claimed for herself that the ones who cloned Starscream's Spark and made Protoform X are the blame for what Rampage turned into. A heartless and hungry killing machine.  
"Is there something on your mind you want to tell me, little one?"  
Stingrix snaps out off her thoughts and sees Rampage looking down at her with his green optics. His voice… It changed a bit and she doesn't like that tone at all. For some reason it gives her the creeps.  
"I… I was thinking of the Maximal High Council… When they… you know…"  
"Made that mistake of not destroying me? Yes, the fools… When I get off this planet I will feed on their Sparks. And maybe even dance a happy-dance on top of their heads. And of course… My worthy enemy Depthcharge will witness it all. Chained and half dismantled! Oh, I would enjoy that!"  
Stingrix doesn't look his way when he makes that promise to her and himself and stares down towards the jungle. Yes, he is a helpless case, but she won't stop with try helping him to live in peace.  
Her brother caused so much hatred and anger in her, that what she and Rampage are doing right now will never be fixed again. Her brother would blast her into a millions bits of micro chips if he would find out that she is together with Protoform X on this cliff.  
"Hold on…"  
Rampage's voice suddenly sounds serious and he tilts his head up to scan the sky, while Stingrix tries to follow his gaze.  
"Yes, he is so close…" he almost whispers and then locks his optics down at Stingrix who looks him straight in the eye," now, my dear. It is time to do as I promised to you. I will help you to get rid of your pain. Right now, right here and slow…"  
Stingrix gets a confused look on her black and silver face and when she notices Rampage is forcing her away from the edge of the cliff, she suddenly understands what he means. She backs away from him and lifts her hands up as defence, looking scared. Her tail sways from left to the right as Rampage forces her further back. There is no way to go now. He blocks the mountain path with his huge body and it is too risky to jump off the cliff and to hope she will land softly.  
"Now now, my precious. Your panic isn't good enough, I want to see more fear in your optics, before I rip your armor from you."  
"Please, Rampage… I only wanted to help you."  
"Help me? But my dearest Maximal. You are already helping me, by feeding my hunger with your pain and fear," Rampage laughs and pushes Stingrix back, making her stumble and almost lose her balance. He is a giant compared to her and without any good guns, she will never survive this encounter.  
She regains her balance and shows her teeth as she spins around to use her long tail as a whip towards the cursed Predacon. Rampage laughs and snatches the whip out off the air before it could even strike him once and holds it firm.  
"I am not in the mood to play, Maximal. I am only in the mood for my hunger."  
He grabs his gun from his back and places it again the lemur and manta tail and pulls the trigger to shoot it off. Stingrix yells and spins around when she loses her tail, watching Rampage toss it down the cliff. She now lost her only weapon and her pride.  
She is trapped now.  
Stingrix pushes herself against the rock wall and glares towards the Predacon who misused her goodness like before. And again she fell for it.  
Rampage lifts the aim of his gun higher, aiming for her chest plate and laughs: "That was amusing, little one. Very well done. Now lets see how good this will please me."  
He shoots again and Stingrix turns half around to use the metal manta wings as a shield. She flings back against the wall when she takes the hit and grunts as she tries to get up again. The wings held back the blast to damage her body, but she can not use the wings again as a shield.  
Rampage puts his gun away, looking irritated and not so happy and walks towards Stingrix to attack her from a close distant. Stingrix sees him coming and dives to the side, but Rampage foresees this and grabs her by her waist and pulls her back, holding her in a firm grip.  
"I was hoping I would get so much more from you, but it just isn't enough. I want to taste your pain, I want to see your fear, I want to feel your anguish and I want to hear you scream. Something for everything, that sounds fair enough. After all… I helped you getting out off that prison Depthcharge made for you and I also am helping you to get rid of the pain forever. Nothing is for free."  
He wraps his red fingers around one of her manta wings and then with strength that is stronger then hers, he slowly rips the wing off her back. First she tries to hold back a scream of pain, but it becomes too much when he is at half of her wing and opens her mouth to scream. A sound which Rampage would love to hear in his sleep. He laughs harder and holds her close as she struggles and screams.  
"That's it, my precious Maximal. Let it all out. It will only become worse."  
He tosses the ripped-off wing aside and it hits the ground with a loud thud while Rampage continues to do what he does best; enjoy the pain of others by creating it himself. Stingrix presses her lips together, her whole body trembling.  
He grabs for the gun on his back and then places it between Stingrix's shoulder blades, whispering in her furry ear:" Now now my precious, don't even try to hold it back…" he presses the barrel harder against the armor," it won't do you any good."  
He pulls the trigger and the blast goes right through her armor of her back and chest, Stingrix's head snapping backwards with a scream escaping over her lips. Rampage laughter continues as Stingrix has her blue optics wide open and her head resting on his shoulder, yellow mech fluid streaming down from the openings in her plates.  
"_Warning. Energon surge. Return to beastmode or stasis lock._"  
"Oh, how I love that warning system in you Maximals. Always so… useless. And still, so amusing," he snickers and grasps for both her arms. Stingrix tries to stand on her own legs and to pull herself lose, but the Energon surge makes it almost impossible to move and she is losing power. Rampage presses one arm against her back, holding the other one up in the air. He laughs again and then a snap can be heard, sparks falling down on Stingrix's face when she sees her arm is snapped in two.  
"Stop… it!" she screams, feeling Rampage drops her arm and how it falls limp to her side.  
"Stop it? But you still have one arm left, Maximal. I am so enjoying this. Your pain is growing; I can finally read the fear in your blue optics... And your screaming is all I need."  
"_Danger. Systems failing. Return to beastmode._"  
"And that is a bonus, " he laughs again and tosses Stingrix aside like a lifeless puppet. She rolls over the ground and lays still after a moment, not moving at all," already giving up? I didn't expect that from a warrior like you. Get up! Try it! Show me you have some fight left in you!"  
Stingrix looks towards him, a cold black glare and she places her only working hand on the ground to push herself up. She almost tumbles over, because she lost the balance in her manta wings and can't get further up then her knees.  
"So weak… so fragile… and so in pain. I will remember this image for the rest of my life. A very good and pleasing memory if I may say so."  
He walks towards Stingrix with large passes and kicks her in the face, sending her back and close to the edge of the cliff. She winces and still tries to get up without success. Rampage kneels down in front of her and pulls her up by her neck, staring at her face. He still holds his massive gun and places it against the only wing she has left and with a smirk he easily blasts it off like a leaf falling from a tree in the fall. She screams again, the blasted off wing falling down from the cliff and disappearing in the treetops of the jungle below.  
Rampage clamps his hand against her mouth, but she keeps screaming, a muffled sound. She doesn't even look his way, her optics focused on the red orange sky above her.  
"What's the matter? Can't take the pain anymore? Is it becoming too much for you? Trust me, my dearest. It can and will be worse."  
He holds her close as he trusts his fist through the opening he shot through her earlier, the yellow mech fluid now also dripping down his arm. With his digits he looks for something inside her chest part and Stingrix slowly stops screaming, now making gargling sounds behind his hand. The blue glow of her optics starts to fade as Rampage finds what he was looking for. A blue glowing orb, also known as a Spark.  
"And there we are… Now that wasn't so hard, was it? All you had to do was show me your pain and this precious thing that will satisfy my hunger for maybe two days."  
Stingrix twitches when he touches her fragile Spark and he can only laugh.  
Suddenly there falls a silence. Stingrix head falls back in her neck as Rampage loosens his grip on her a bit. His glance focus to something at the horizon and he lets out a sigh.  
"About time…" he whispers and then looks down at Stingrix who can only stare towards the sky. She has no more strength to move and no more spirit to fight. She is total scrap.  
Rampage stands up, still holding Stingrix against him as he looks back to the horizon, saying:" you helped me more then you can imagine, my precious dying outcast. But now.. I am going to enjoy what will happen next. Say hello to the others I fed on when you join the Matrix."  
And with those words he lets go off her, watching her fall onto the hard ground. She doesn't move at all and even the voice of her warning system seems to whisper when it tries to warn her about a stasis lock.  
Rampage sets a few steps back, smirks and then turns into his tank mode to ride down the mountain path, leaving Stingrix behind like nothing happened at all.

A few nano clicks later someone familiar flies over Stingrix and transforms into his robot mode to land beside her on the cliff, the earth shaking.  
No words are said for nano click… maybe two, maybe ten. The bot stares down at Stingrix and she stares back up to him. It surprises him that she is able to show a very weak smile over her lips.  
"What…? My warnings weren't good enough? You really had to find out yourself about him?"  
She doesn't respond to his answer and her smile faints. The huge bot kneels down and picks her up to let her rest against his leg and arm.  
"Slag it, Stingrix! He only did this to you to get to me! He never wanted to be your friend as you would have loved to see him! He is a killing machine, I told you that before! Why did you go after him??  
Still no response. She only looks up to her older sibling with a look in her almost fading optics that gives him the shivers. He sighs and then holds her close.  
"I… I understand now…" her voice is so weak that Depthcharge has to listen carefully to what she says.  
"No, you don't… and you never will! He is insane, nobody will ever understand him. That's why he must be destroyed and that is what I am planning on for already four years."  
"But I… do understand… his pain…"  
Depthcharge looks at his younger sister and finally for once he looks concerned and worried. He might looks cold and hard on the outside, but from the inside… He hangs his head and holds her tight. He lost so many loved ones on Omicron. She was the only one left. He always wanted to protect the only relative he had and he failed… again…  
"The only problem is… I'll never… be able to… help him…"  
Depthcharge narrows his optics when he hears her words and looks back at her. She looks so serious and still so strong even when her Spark is dying. He looks at the hole in her chest and the weak blue glow that can be seen in it. It will be too late to save her. She will join the Matrix soon…  
There was still one thing Depthcharge needed to know so he might understand his younger sister better.  
"Did you love him?"

She only smiled…

Slowly the blue glow of her optics fades away and only Depthcharge and a hidden grinning witness watch her Spark leave her demolished body to join the Matrix.


End file.
